Finance Intern (For Sri Lankans Only)

Job Description

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), a CGIAR Research Center, is seeking applications from enthusiastic students looking to gain professional experience in the field of finance under IWMI’s internship program. The internship will be based at IWMI’s headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Scope of internship

During the internship period, the intern will assist the team in the Finance Department of IWMI. The intern will gain a broad understanding of the accounting procedures and processes in an international organization. The selected candidate will understand the role that international donors play in supporting research, have the opportunity to work with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) accounting system (SAP), and be able to interact with staff at IWMI’s headquarters in Colombo, Sri Lanka and its regional offices. The intern will also gain insight into working with people from different countries and cultures.

IWMI is an Executive Level (non-public sector) Training Organization approved by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka).

The intern will assist in the following areas:

• Assist in analyzing and computing exchange losses/gains for bilateral projects.
• Assist the team by gathering supporting documents corresponding to transactions recorded in the ERP system, ensuring that these documents are prepared in accordance with donor requirements, as stated in project agreements.
• Coordinate with regional offices when these documents are required for project financial audits.
• Assist in preparing financial and accrual reports as required.
• Prepare customer close-out reports upon project completion.
• Assist in updating Excel reports related to Power BI.
• Assist in analyses for audits when required.
• Assist in coordinating the clearing of commitments for bilateral projects in the ERP system.
• Contribute to the development and maintenance of financial reporting templates.

Requirements

• Undergraduates or graduates with a bachelor’s degree in Commerce/Business Administration/Finance/Accounting.
• Registered or part-qualified students of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (CA Sri Lanka)/Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)/Association of Accounting Technicians of Sri Lanka (AAT Sri Lanka)/Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
• Excellent command of English (written and oral).
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office software (specifically Excel and Word).
• Experience in using accounting software would be an added advantage.
• Integrity is of the utmost importance.

Benefits

IWMI will provide a monthly stipend to the selected candidate during the internship period.

The duration of the initial internship contract will be 6 months, with the possibility of extension for another 6 months based on performance, requirements of IWMI and the availability of funds. This is a nationally recruited internship and only Sri Lankans are eligible to apply.

To apply, visit www.iwmi.org/jobs. Applications must be submitted by 24:00 (Colombo time) on May 15, 2025 (Thursday).

About the Organization

The International Water Management Institute is a nonprofit scientific research organization focusing on the sustainable use of water and land resources in agriculture and on the water needs of developing countries. IWMI works with partners in the South to develop tools and methods to help these countries eradicate poverty through more effective management of their water and land resources. Mission: Improving water and land resources management for food livelihoods and nature. The objectives of IWMI's work: - Identify the larger issues related to water management and food security that need to be understood and addressed by governments and policymakers. - Develop, test and promote management practices and tools that can be used by governments and institutions to manage water and land resources more effectively, and address water scarcity issues. - Clarify the link between poverty and access to water and to help governments and the research community better understand the specific water-related problems of poor people. - Help developing countries build their research capacities to deal with water scarcity and related food security issues.